Railway car



Sept. 2l, 1965 R. MowA'rT-LARssEN ETAL.

RAILWAY CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1965 ma o /llll NFMQEI INVENTORS ROLF MOWATT -LARSSEN HAl-CHANG BENJAMIN Koo 7 1 f f', ,l

AGENT IIIJL /s Sept. 21, 1965 R. MowAT'r-LARSSEN ETAL RAILWAY CAR 6 Sheets-Sheed'I 2 Filed July 5, 1963 Sept. 2l, 1965 R. MowATT-LARssEN ETAL RAILWAY CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 5, 1965 Sept. 2l, 1965 R. MowATT-LARssEN ETAL 3,207,086

RA ILWAY CAR Filed July 5, 1963 fllllllll Sept. 2l, 1965 R. MowATT-LARssEN ETAL 3,207,086

RAILWAY CAR 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 5, 1965 WNTI. m3

SePt- 21, 1965 R. MOWATT-LARSSEN ETAL 3,207,086

RAILWAY CAR Filed July 5, 1965 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 United States Patent O 3,207,086 RAILWAY CAR Rolf MoWatt-Larssen, Bridgeton, and Hai-Chang Benjamin Koo, Florissant, Mo., assignors to ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed `Iuly 5, 1963, Ser. No. 293,092 8 Claims. (Cl. 10S-368) This invention relates to railway cars having a low floor or deck, and more particularly to such a railway car of a lightweight construction and having a long length.

Railway cars, such as ilat cars, having a low floor design are especially adapted for transporting trailers in piggyback operations (commonly referred to as TOFC operations), containers, and automobiles on auto racks mounted on the railway cars. lRailway cars of such a general design normally have a center sill structure and a side sill structure on each side of the center sill structure, the sill structures being tied together so that stress from buff and draft as well as the static or dead weight loads carried by the car is transmitted and distributed between the sill structures. The center sill structure has commonly been a continuous sill structure extending generally the length of the car in a straight line longitudinal direction although the depth of the center sill structure is sometimes increased between the bolster structures, such as in a so-called fish-belly design and particularly in railway cars having a low deck design.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a long length lightweight railway car having a low oor or deck design, which is arranged so that hitches or the like may be mounted on supports below the upper surface of the deck.

A further important object of this invention is to pro- Vide a center sill structure in the underframe of the railway car to receive concentrated wheel loads from automobiles or trailers carried by the car. The center sill structure is arranged and constructed so that the flow or distribution of stresses along the center sill structure from impact and static loads is generally smooth without any unusual abrupt changes in the stress distribution. The center sill construction further permits a floor plate arrangement on which a support may be mounted at a level below the upper surface of the deck.

In general, the objects are obtained by a substantially continuous center sill structure extending generally the length of the car having an end section positioned centrally of the width of each end of the car, an intermediate section between the end sections having a pair of generally parallel intermediate center sills spaced from each other and offset from the longitudinal centerline of the car, and a transition section integrally connecting each end section and the adjacent intermediate section to form a continuous center sill structure, the transition sections being divided into two portions diverging from the end sections and joining the two intermediate center sills to the end sections. Each transition section provides a smooth continuation between the adjacent end section and the intermediate section so that a relatively smooth distribution of stress is effected along the center sill structure. A center sill structure arranged with a so-called split or spread intermediate center sill section easily permits a floor plate arrangement on which a support may be mounted at a level below the upper surface of the deck in an opening through the floor plate. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the constructions hereinafter described, the scope of the invention being indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which one of various possible embodiments of the invention is illustrated;

FIGURE l is a perspective view of a railway car embodying the present invention, and being of a lightweight construction and a long length;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the underframe of the railway car illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 3A are longitudinal sectional views cooperatively illustrating a portion of the length of the car;

FIGURES 4 and 4A are top plan views cooperatively illustrating the length of the car shown in FIGURES 3 and 3A;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragment of FIGURE 4 illustrating a portion of the transition section of the center sill structure;

FIGURE 6 is a section taken generally along line 6 6 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 6A is a fragmentary section similar to FIG- URE 6 but illustrating a portion of the transition section at the end of the railway car opposite the end from which FIGURE 6 is taken;

FIGURE 7 is a section taken generally along line 7-7 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a section taken generally along line 8-8 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 9 is a section taken generally along line 9-9 of FIGURE 4 and illustrating the bolster structure at one end of the railway car;

FIGURE 9A is a section similar to FIGURE 9 but illustrating the bolster structure at the opposite end of the railway car from FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 10 is a section taken generally along line 10-10 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE l1 is a section taken generally along line 11-11 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 12 is a section taken generally along line 12-12 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 13 is an iso stress diagram showing the distribution of stress along the transition section of the center sill structure comprising the present invention upon the railway car being subjected to impact forces; andA FIGURE 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the loading of the# railway car for the test results illustrated in FIGURE 13.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to FIGURES l and 2, a railway iiat car is generally designated 10 on which is mounted at each end a conventional coupler 12 connected to draft gear within housing 14. A floor or deck plate 16 is at a level below the top of housing 14 and forms a relatively low deck or floor on which trailers, automobiles and the like may be supported. Wheel assemblies generally designated 17 include a plurality of flanged railway car wheels 18 and support railway car 10 on rails R of a track. Respective intermediate and end hitches 19 and 19A are shown in collapsed position on car 10 and, when erect, are adapted to engage the kingpins of trailers T (see FIG- URE 14) to secure the trailers on the at car. Hitches 19, 19A may be of the type described in assignees copending application Serial No. 819,192 filed June 9, 1959, now Patent No. 3,145,006 and entitled Collapsible Trailer Support and Anchor, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by this reference. A riser board 20 on each side of draft gear housing 14, over which the wheels of roadway vehicles and trailers travel when loading and unloading, is at an elevation above the upper surface of the deck to permit the roadway vehicles and trailers to adequately clear the draft gear housings 14. In the event railway car 10 is adapted to carry automobiles, bi-

level or tri-level racks may be secured to t-he car in suitable manner. A low level railway car is particularly useful in carrying automobiles arranged at three different levels where overhead clearances, such as in tunnels and underpasses, must be met. Conventional brake rigging and trainline connections (not shown) are affixed to railway car in a suitable manner.

In order that hitches 19, 19A when in a collapsed position project only a relatively small distance above the deck or floor of car 10, the hitches are inset below the level of the deck in accordance with an important feature of this invention. This permits the mounting of hitches 19, 19A at a level several inches below the deck and provides adequate clearance for roadway vehicles and trailers T as the trailers are being loaded and unloaded. For mounting hitch 19 which is positioned intermediate the ends of car 10, deck plate 16 has an elongate opening 21 extending along the longitudinal axis of the railway car. Extending around opening 21 is a Z member 22 (see FIGURES 4, 4A, 6 and 7) reinforcing plate 16 and forming a rim about the opening. It is to be noted that FIGURES 3, 3A and FIGURES 4, 4A, respectively, are continuous cooperating views illustrating one-half of the length of railway car 10. Member 22 has an upper flange 23 secured, such as by welding, to the underside of floor plate 16. A lower flange 24 of Z member 22 projects within opening 21 and forms a support ledge or lip. A hitch mounting plate 26 with hitch 19 being removed is shown in FIGURE 4A, and is secured to flange 24 on opposite sides of opening 21. A separate plate 28 adjacent hitch mounting plate 26 is secured to ange 24 and provides a support for an operator of the hitch mechanism. A grating 30 is supported on ange 24 and covers the remaining portion of opening 21 not covered by plates 26, 28. If desired, opening 21 could be covered by a suitable plate in lieu of grating 3G. By mounting hitch 19 on plate 26 secured to lower flange 24, the hitch is dropped several inches below the surface of the deck. Hitch 19A on the end of railway car 10 is likewise inset below the surface of the deck through an opening 32 in floor plate 16 (see FIGURE l) as will be explained. The mounting of collapsible hitches 19, 19A below the surface of the deck provides adequate clearance for roadway vehicles and trailers to move over the hitches without the use of elevated portions on the deck adjacent the hitches.

The upper surface of deck plate 16 is only about thirtyone and one half (311/2) inches from the top of rails R and an oval dimple or blister 34 is pressed in floor plate 16 superjacent each of the llanged car wheels 18 (see FIGURES 4 and 10) to provide adequate clearance for wheels 18. The dimple or blister 34 extends at an `acute angle with respect to the transverse axis of the railway car and forms a concave pocket on the underside of plate 16. A channel iron 36 is secured to the underside of oor plate 16 on each side of blister 34 to reinforce deck plate 16 at this position and extends generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate blister 34.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 2, the underframe of railway car 10 is shown removed from wheel assemblies 17 and is generally designated 38. Extending the length of underframe 38 is a center sill structure generally designated 40 and forming the main support of the underframe in accordance with a further important feature of this invention. At each end of center sill structure 40 is a generally box-shaped end center sill section generally designated 42 and having an upper cover plate 44 and a lower cover plate 46 (see FIGURES 8 and 9). Vertical side web members 48 and 50 between cover plates 44, 46 form sides of box-shaped end center sill section 42.

A bolster structure 52 (see FIGURES 4 and 9) at each end of underframe 38 is essentially of the box-type including spaced transverse webs 54 and 56. A bottom cover plate 58 extends the width of the car and is welded to bottom cover plate 46 of end center sill section 42.

Secured to the bottom of cover plate 58 is a conventional center plate structure 60 bolted at 62 to bolster cover plate 58. Extending between upper cover plate 44 and bottom cover plate 46 is a tubular member 64. An opening 66 extends through cover plate 46 and center plate structure 60 to receive the kingpin of a conventional truck bolster on wheel assemblies `17 thereby to form a conventional pivotal connection between the truck and body bolsters. Vertical stiieners 68 between cover plates 44 and 46 additionally reinforce bolster structure 52. Mounted on bolster bottom cover plate 58 are side bearings 70. Side bearing brace plates 72 are welded between transverse webs 54 and 56 in conventional manner.

Referring to FIGURE 9A, bolster structure S2 at the end of railway car 10 on which hitch 19A is mounted is illustrated. To allow hitch 19A to be mounted below the surface of deck plate 16, upper cover plate 44 of end center sill section 42 adjacent hitch 19A is at an elevation below iloor plate 16 within opening 32. Hitch 19A is mounted on cover plate 44 (see FIGURE l) inset within opening 32 and thus is at a level below the deck. Side web members 48 and 50 extend above cover plate 44 with oor plate 16 being supported on web members 48 and 50. A stiifener 73 is secured, such as by welding, to floor plate 16 and webs 48 and 50 respectively, to transmit stress between cover plate 44 and oor 16. While the entire bolster structure 52 is not shown in FIGURE 9A, it is noted that bolster structure 52 on each side of the longitudinal centerline of railway car 10 is identical.

Between the end sections 42 of center sill structure 40 is an intermediate center sill section generally designated 75 having a pair of spaced intermediate center sills 76 extending longitudinally of railway car 10 in parallel relation to each other and offset from the longitudinal centerline of the car (see FIGURES 2 and ll). Each intermediate center sill 76 is identical and includes a vertical web member 78 and a bottom plate 79 secu-red, such as by welding, to web member 78. Floor plate 16 is welded to the upper edge of web members 78 and forms a top plate for intermediate center sills 76. The spacing of intermediate center sills 76 is substantially the same as the spacing of wheel loads on a trailer or automobiles. However, it is to be understood that parallel intermediate center sills 76 may be spaced at varying distances from each other, such as from several inches to several feet. Web members 78 are of a greater depth than web members 48, 50 in the end center sill sections 42. This provides a so-called sh-belly design which is desirable to provide adequate stiffness and strength in a low level, long length railway car.

Connecting intermediate section 7'5 to each end center sill section 42 is a transition section generally designated 80. Each transition section 80 acts to distribute stress between intermediate center sill section 75 4and end center sill sections 42 of the center sill structure. Referring particularly to FIGURES 5-8, vertical web members 82 extend between and join web members '78 to web members 48, 58 of end center sill sections 42. A bottom cover plate generally designated 84 of transition section 80 joins bottom cover plate 46 of the respective end sections and bottom plates 79 of intermediate center sills 76. Extending from a generally rectangular body portion 86 -of cover plate 84 are two spaced bottom flanges 88 joining bottom plates 79, such as by welding, and diverging outwardly and downwardly from body portion 86. A splice or stiifener plate (see FIGURE ll) is positioned at the joining of aznges 88 and bottom plates 79. Upper cover plate 44 of end center sill section 42 extends over a portion of transition section 80 (see FIGURE 8) and forms a cover plate for the transition section.

As transition section 80 effects a change in direction and dimension of connecting members and since couplers 12 are at an elevation above the elevation of the center sill structure, the transition section is subjected to a stress concentration particularly during impact loads.

To provide increased strength in each transition section 80, a vertical center web member 92 extends between cover plates 44, 46 (see FIGURE 8) and reinforces transition section 80. A separate stitfener plate 94 (FIG- URES 5-8) is positioned on each side of web member 92 between center web member 92 and each side member 48, S0. Plate 94 extends across body portion 86 of the bottom cover plate 84 to bottom cover plate 46 of end section 42. Extending between vertical webs 82 is a transverse web 96 (see FIGURES 4 and 5) to which web 92 is secured.

Referring to FIG'URE 6A, a fragmentary section similar to FIGURE 6 illustrates transition section 80 at the opposite end of railway car 10 from which FIGURE 6 was taken and on which hitch 19A is mounted. As oor plate 16 has an opening 32 in which hitch 19A is inset, upper cover .plate 44 -on which hitch 19A is mounted (see also FIGURES 1 and 9A) is below the surface of floor plate 16 and positioned between side web members 48 and 50. A vertical web 98 extends between side web members 48 and 50 and connects floor plate 16 to upper cover plate 44, as shown in FIGURE 6A.

Referring to FIGURE l2, draft gear housing 14 is secured to bottom cover plate 46 about a slot 100 extending from the end `of bottom cover plate 46 (see FIGURE 2 also) to receive the draft gear. Connecting plates 102 are secured to housing 14 and to Hoor plate 16. The arrangement of the draft gear housing is identical for each end of railway car 10.

Spaced between intermediate center sills 76 are a plurality of center cross bearer members 106 secured, such as by welding, to vertical web members 78 of intermediate center sills 76. Each cross bearer member 106 is formed of a channel iron having upper and lower flanges 107. Lower flange 24 Iof Z member 22 is supported on upper flange 107. End stub cross bearer members 108 (see particularly FIGURES 2 and ll) are cantilevered from the outer sides of intermediate center sills 76. Each has a vertical web 110 secured to intermediate sills 76. Secured to the edges of web 110 is a continuous flange having a bottom portion 112 and a top porti-on 114 connected to each other by a side portion 116. Side cross bearers 118 adjacent transition and end sections 40, 42 each have top and bottom plates 120 connected by vertical webs 122 (see FIGURES 2 and 4).

By arranging cross bearer members 106 between the inner surfaces of intermediate center sills 76, and cantilevered cross bearer members 108 on the outer surfaces of sills 76, transverse welds on bottom cover plates 79 are eliminated lor avoided. It is well known that the elimination of transverse welds in a major tension carrying member, such as plates 79, increases the fatigue life of a railway car.

To provide adequate support for mounting plate 26 which may be subjected to relatively high stresses with hitch 19 mounted thereon, transverse stiffener web members 125 are secured between intermediate sills 76 to provide additional support for plate 26. Vertical Webs 126 extend longitudinally between cross bearers 106 and web members 125. Cross bearer members 106 beneath plate 26 may be of increased dimension. While hitch 19 is removed from plate 26 in FIGURE 4A, it should be noted that hitch 19 may be secured directly to plate 26 or may be mounted on a separate base plate which, in turn, may be secured to plate 26, such as by welding. To aid in relieving the stress applied through plate 26 by hitch 19 to floor plate 16, a generally angle-shaped member 127 is secured to each corner of plate 26 and the adjacent Z member 22.

A side sill structure generally designated 128 (see FIGURES 7, 9 and l1) is disposed on each side of underframe 38 and has a channel-shaped base 130 secured to cross bearers 108, 118 and bolster structures 52. Extending from base 130 alongside deck plate 16 is an upwardly extending side plate 132 having an outturned upper end portion 134. A tubular head or member 136 is secured to the outturned upper end portion 134 and extends the length ofy railway car 10. Tubular head 136 and side plate 132 form a guide rail on each side of the railway car. Tires of roadway vehicles and trailers may rub against side plates 132 and thereby be guided and restrained against running olf the sides of railway car 10.

It is to be understood that the center sill structure of the present invention, while illustrated in the drawings as a at car may be employed on other freight cars, or railway passenger cars. While the deck plate structure has been illustrated as employed for mounting a collapsible hitch at a level below the deck, it is to be understood that the deck plate structure of the present invention may be employed to mount other structures at a level below the supporting surface of the deck or floor.

It is recognized that a change in depth or in direction of connecting members normally results in a concentration of stress at such change. The transition section of the present invention does receive a stress concentration as a result of the change in direction and in depth of the connecting members of the transition section between the end and intermediate sections of the center sill structure. However, the reinforcing of each transition section by plates 94 and web members 92 provides adequate strength in the transition section to receive impact loads (the critical loading condition) from end center sill sections 42 and to transmit the stress to intermediate center sill section 75 in a relatively smooth stress flow while maintaining the stress within allowable limits (such as, for example, below 50,000 p.s.i. for impacts at l0 miles per hour) and while providing a lightweight construction. The spacing of intermediate center sills 76 generally under the wheel or tire loads of trailers or vehicles obtains an effective stress distribution along the center sill structure from the loads.

Referring to FIGURES 13 and 14, test results are indicated for impact testing of a railway car embodying features of this invention at a speed of ten (10) miles per hour to illustrate the flow or distribution of stress along the transition section under such conditions. The distances between loads and dimensions of the railway car are illustrated in the loading diagram of FIGURE 14. The total length of the car between opposite ends of the center sill structure is eighty-nine (89) feet while the upper surface of the deck is thirty-one and one-half (311/2) inches above the top of the track. The impact test was conducted using an inclined ramp facility in which a rigidly loaded one hundred seventy-one thousands (171,000) pound striking car was accelerated to 10 miles per hour by coasting down the ramp and striking the free-standing stationary test car about forty (40) feet from the bottom of the ramp. The test car was loaded with two highway trailers T mounted on hitches, as illustrated in the loading diagram of FIGURE 14, each trailer weighing around sixty-live thousand (65,000) pounds. After impact, the test car and striking car were both left free to roll about ten (l0) feet and then air brakes were applied to both cars. For the impact test, the instrumentation consisted of 13 strain gages bonded to the railway car structure at positions G, as shown in FIGURE 13. The test was conducted against the B end of the car and was visually inspected periodically during all phases of the testing and no damage was observed.

Referring to FIGURE 13, an iso stress diagram is illustrated from data obtained from the ten (10) mile per hour impact test. The flow of stress through the transition section was in a relatively smooth manner, as indicated by the lines of equal stress amounts shown on FIGURE 13. Only a relatively small area was subjected to a stress in excess of forty thousand (40,000) p.s.i. for an impact at ten 10) miles per hour. Thus, even though the transition section does have a stress concentration,

this invention adequately distributes the stress in a relatively smooth manner and retains the stress within allowable design limits.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. In a railway car having a wheel assembly adjacent each end of the car, an underframe on the wheel assemblies having a continuous center sill structure extending generally the length of the car, said center sill structure having an end section on each end of the car over the adjacent wheel assembly disposed substantially centrally of the width of the car, an intermediate section between the wheel assemblies having a pair of generally 4parallel intermediate center sills spaced from each other and offset from the longitudinal center line of the car and a transition section connecting each end section and the adjacent intermediate section and forming the continuous center sill structure, .a deck plate over ythe center sill structure having an elongate opening therein between the spaced .intermediate center sills and extending generally along the longitudinal axis of the car, a plurality of spaced cross bearer members secured to the intermediate center sills at an elevation below the deck plate and extending between and outwardly of the intermediate center sills, a side sill on each side of the underframe secured to the cross bearer members outwardly of the intermediate center sills, said -deck plate extending between each of said iside sills and the adjacent intermediate center sill adapted to support the wheels of a roadway vehicle or the like, a reinforcing member secured to the deck plate and extending downwardly from the deck plate about the periphery of said opening to a lsupporting relation on said cross 4bearer members, a generally horizontally extending support member extending across the opening and secured to the reinforcing member on opposite sides of the opening at an elevation below .the deck plate, and a collapsible hitch mounted on said support member at an elevation below the upper surface of the deck -plate adapted to move between collapsed and erect positions for releasably engaging the kingpin of a trailer.

2. In a railway car as set forth in claim 1, said wheel assemblies including a plurality of flanged railway car wheels and said deck plate being positioned over the car wheels, said deck plate having a raised portion superjacent each car wheel forming a concave pocket on the underside of the deck to provide adequate clearance for the car wheels.

3. In a railway car as set forth in claim Z, each of the raised portions of said deck plate comprising an elongate blister forming said concave pocket on the underside of said deck plate, and an elongate reinforcing member secured to the underside of said deck plate on each side of each blister extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the blister.

4. In a railway car underframe, a center sill structure extending substantially `the length of the underframe, said center sill structure including an end sill section on each end of the underframe positioned substantially centrally of the width of the car, an intermediate center sill section integrally connected to the end sill sections and including a pair of spaced generally parallel intermediate sills offset from the longitudinal -centerline of the car, and a transition section connecting each end sill section to the intermediate center sill section, said intermediate sills being spaced a distance corresponding generally to the spacing of wheel loads on a trailer or the like adapted t-o be carried by the car, a generally Hat deck plate over the center sill structure extending in a horizontal relation for the entire length of the railway car at a uniform elevation and having an elongate opening therein in the area between said spaced intermediate center sills, a plurality of cross bearer members secured to the intermediate center sills and extending between and outwardly of the intermediate center sills, a side sill on each side of the underframe secured .to the cross bearer members outwardly of the intermediate center sills, said deck plate extending between each of said side sills and the adjacent intermediate center sill adapted to support the wheels of a roadway vehicle or the like, a reinforcing member extending along the edge of said deck plate defining said opening and extending downwardly from said deck plate on opposite sides of the opening, said reinforcing member having a lower generally horizontally extending flange projecting within the opening below the upper surface of the deck, and a support member extending transversely across the opening and secured to said flange on opposite sides of the opening at an elevation below the deck plate whereby a collapsible hitch or the like may be mounted thereon below the surface of the deck plate.

5. A railway car underframe comprising a center sill structure extending continuously substantially the length of the underframe, said center sill structure including an end center sill positioned centrally of .the width of the underframe at each end thereof, a pair of spaced generally parallel intermediate side sills extending between the end sills and offset from the longitudinal centerline of the car, a separate transition center sill section between each end center sill and the intermediate spaced center sills, each transition section including a pair of connecting sills diverging outwardly and downwardly from the associated end center sill to the intermediate center sills to form a continuous center sill structure, a plurality of cross bearer members spaced along the length of each intermediate center sill and extending outwardly therefrom, a side sill on each side of the underframe secured to said cross bearer member-s and extending the length of said underframe, a floor plate on the center sill structure and said cross bearer members, each side sill comprising a generally channel-shaped base secured to the adjacent cross bearer members beneath Ithe floor plate and an integral upwardly directed flange extending alongside and above the door plate, said floor plate extending over the generally channel-shaped base in a generally parallel relation to the web of the base and forming with the base a box-shaped section, and a continuous tubular head on the upwardly directed flange Aof each side sill extending along substantially the entire length of each side sill.

6. In a railway car having a wheel assembly adjacent each end of the car, an underframe on the wheel assemblies having a center lsill structure extending generally the length of the car, said center sill structure including a pair of spaced generally parallel vertical web members extending longitudinally of the car, one of the web members being on one side of the -longitudinal centerline of the car and the other web member being on the opposite side of the longitudinal centerline of the car, a deck plate over the pair of vertical web members and having an elongate opening extending longitudinally of the car between the spaced web members, a plurality of cross bearer members secured to the vertical web members and extending between and outwardly of -said web members, a side sill structure on each side of the underframe secured to the cross bearer members outwardly of the vertical web members, said deck plate extending between each of said side sill structures and the adjacent web member adapted to support the wheels of a roadway Vehicle or the like, a reinforcing member extending along the edge of said deck plate defining said opening and extending downwardly from said deck plate on opposite sides of the opening, a support plate extending across said opening at a level below the upper surface of lthe deck and secured to the reinforcing member at an elevation below the deck plate, and a collapsible hitch mounted on said support plate adapted to move between collapsed and erect positions for releasably engaging the kingpin of a trailer.

7. In a railway car having a wheel assembly adjacent each end of the car, an underframe on the wheel assemblies having a continuous center sill structure extending generally the length of the car, said center sill structure having an end section on each end of the car over the adjacent wheel assembly disposed substantially centrally of the width of the car, an intermediate section between the Wheel assemblies having a pair of generally parallel intermediate center sills vspaced from each other and offset from the longitudinal centerline of the car, and a transition section connecting each end section and the adjacent intermediate section and forming the continuous center sill structure, a plurality of center cross bearer members extending between and secured to the inner surfaces ofthe intermediate center sills, a plurality of end cross bearer members on the outer surface of each intermediate center sill aligned with said center cross bearer members transversely of .the car, a side sill structure on each side of the railway car mounted |on the ladjacent end cross bearer members and a oor plate over the center sill structure und over said end cross bearer members, each side sill comprising a generally channel-shaped base extending the length of the car secured to the adjacent end cross bearer members beneath the floor plate and an integral upwardly directed flange extending alongside and above the oor plate, said oor plate extending over the generally channelshaped base in a generally parallel relation to the web of the base and forming with the base a box-shaped section.

8. In a railway car having a wheel assembly adjacent each end of the caras set forth in claim 1, said deck plate having an integral raised portion pressed therein superjacent each wheel of the wheel assemblies to provide adequate clearance for the wheels.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,736,270 2/56 Esher 10S-417 2,851,963 9/58 Sheehan 10S- 368 2,870,724 1/59 Gutrdge 10S-368 3,016,025 l/62 Clejan 10S-368 3,030,074 4/62 Lich 105-368 3,050,320 8/62 Clejan 10S-368 3,081,716 3/63 Szczepanik 10S-368 3,102,497 9/63 Candlin 10S-368 MILTON BU CHLER, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSH, Examiner. 

1. IN A RAILWAY CAR HAVING A WHEEL ASSEMBLY ADJACENT EACH END OF THE CAR, AN UNDERFRAME ON THE WHEEL ASSEMBILES HAVING A CONTINUOUS CENTER STILL STRUCTURE EXTENDING GENERALLY THE LENGTH OF THE CAR, SAID CENTER SILL STRUCTURE HAVING AN END SECTION ON EACH END OF THE CAR OVER THE ADJACENT WHEEL ASSEMBLY DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRALLY OF THE WIDTH OF THE CAR, AN INTERMEDIATE SECTION BETWEEN THE WHEEL ASSEMBLIES HAVING A PAIR OF GENERALLY PARALLEL INTERMEDIATE CENTER SILLS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND OFFSET FROM THE LONGITUDINAL CENTER LINE OF THE CAR AND A TRANSITION SECTION CONNECTING EACH END SECTION AND THE ADJACENT INTERMEDIATE SECTION AND FORMING THE CONTINUOUS CENTER SILL STRUCTURE, A DECK PLATE OVER THE CENTER SILL STRUCTURE HAVING AN ELONGATED OPENING THEREIN BETWEEN THE SPACED INTERMEDIATE CENTER SILLS AND EXTENDING GENERALLY ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE CAR, A PLURALITY OF SPACED CROSS BEARER MEMBERS SECURED TO THE INTERMEDIATE CENTER SILL AT AN ELEVATION BELOW THE DECK PLATE AND EXTENDING BETWEEN AND OUTWARDLY OF THE INTERMEDIATE CENTER SILLS, A SIDE SILL ON EACH SIDE OF THE UNDERFRAME SECURED TO THE CROSS BEARER MEMBERS OUTWARDLY OF THE INTERMEDIATELY CENVER SILLS, SAID DECK PLATE EXTENDING BETWEEN EACH OF SAID SIDE SILLS AND THE ADJACENT INTERMEDIATE CENTER SILL ADAPTED TO SUPPORT THE WHEELS OF A ROADWAY VEHICLE OR THE LIKE, A REINFORCING MEMBER SECURED TO THE DECK PLATE AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE DECK PLATE ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID OPENING TO A SUPPORTING RELATION ON SAID CROSS BEARER MEMBERS, A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING SUPPORT MEMBER EXTENDING ACROSS THE OPENING AND SECURED TO THE REINFORCING MEMBER ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE OPENING AT AN ELEVATION BELOW THE DECK PLATE, AND A COLLAPSIBLE HITCH MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEMBER AT AN ELEVATION BELOW THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE DECK PLATE ADAPTED TO MOVE BETWEEN COLLAPSED AND ERECT POSITIONS FOR RELEASABLY ENGAGING THE KINGPIN OF A TRAILER. 